WOFAN commissions Kano’s first inclusive pedestrian bridge, solar borehole, others

The Women Farmers Advancement Network (WOFAN) has commissioned Kano State’s first inclusive pedestrian bridge alongside a solar-powered borehole and an access road in Danbare community, Kumbotso Local Government Area, to improve road safety, access to clean water and transportation for thousands of residents and students.

The projects are expected to benefit residents of Danbare, students of WOFAN Comprehensive School, pupils from about 10 neighbouring public and private schools, off-campus students of Bayero University, Kano (BUK), and other road users along the busy Gwarzo Road.

Speaking at the commissioning, WOFAN Founder and Group Executive Board Chair, Dr. Salamatu Garba, said the interventions were conceived following extensive consultations with members of the community to identify their most pressing needs.

She explained that the organisation adopted a community-driven approach, which prioritised safe road crossing, access to potable water and improved road infrastructure.

Garba noted that WOFAN’s schools are situated within a cluster of educational institutions and close to Bayero University, making the busy highway a major safety concern for thousands of students who cross the road daily.

She described the pedestrian bridge as the first of its kind in Kano State, designed with accessibility features for persons with disabilities, including wheelchair users and people using customised tricycles.

According to her, the bridge will also improve access to markets, strengthen connectivity within the community and neighbouring areas, and enhance residents’ wellbeing.

She added that the solar-powered borehole, equipped with more than 12 water collection points, would provide a sustainable supply of clean drinking water, while the newly constructed access road would improve mobility and stimulate economic activities. Garba urged residents to take ownership of the facilities by protecting and maintaining them.

“We have demonstrated that communities do not always have to wait for the government to solve every problem. When residents, institutions and development organisations work together, they can provide practical solutions that improve lives,” she said.

Representing Governor Abba Kabir Yusuf, the Special Adviser on Empowerment, Hon. Nasiru Isa Dikko, commended WOFAN and its partners for complementing the state government’s development efforts through investments in infrastructure that support education, healthcare, transportation and citizens’ welfare.

He said the projects align with the administration’s development agenda and appealed to residents to safeguard the facilities for future generations.

Chairman of WOFAN’s Technical Board of Advisors, Professor Sani Miko, said the interventions addressed longstanding challenges in Danbare, including chronic water shortages, poor road access and the dangers associated with crossing the busy dual carriageway.

He described the pedestrian bridge as one of the first disability-friendly bridges in Northern Nigeria, allowing persons with disabilities to cross safely alongside other commuters.

The Director-General of the Kano Geographic Information Service (KANGIS), Dr. Dalhatu Aliyu Sani, praised WOFAN for supporting government efforts through investments in community infrastructure and urged other organisations and philanthropists to emulate the initiative.

Also speaking, the Vice-Chancellor of Bayero University, Kano, Professor Haruna Musa, said the bridge would significantly improve the safety of students and residents who had long faced risks while crossing the highway between the university and neighbouring communities.

Chairman of the WOFAN Comprehensive School Parents-Teachers Association (PTA), Isma’il Musa Kalla, described the project as a major relief for thousands of students and parents who use the road daily.

He, however, appealed to the Kano State Government to halt the proposed establishment of a gas refilling plant within an existing filling station near the school, warning that such a facility would pose serious safety and environmental risks to nearby schools and residents.

The District Head of Kumbotso, Alhaji Abdullahi Sunusi Barde, commended WOFAN for its sustained humanitarian and community development interventions and announced that Dr. Garba would be honoured with a traditional title in recognition of her outstanding service to humanity.

On behalf of residents, the Ward Head of Danbare, Abdulmuminu Sharif, expressed gratitude to WOFAN for responding to the community’s longstanding needs and pledged that residents would protect and maintain the facilities.

The commissioning marks another milestone in WOFAN’s commitment to sustainable community development through strategic investments in education, water supply, infrastructure and social inclusion across Kano State.